Background

The Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) began its efforts to promote State-level institutionalization of content standards, with the Adult Education Content Standards Warehouse (AECSW) project, in 2003. The two-year project was planned to help States develop content standards, implement standards-based instruction and professional development. The AECSW project supported a collaborative of fourteen States that worked together through national meetings and teleconferences, and received technical assistance from nationally recognized content experts. It produced a major publication—A Process Guide for Establishing State Adult Education Content Standards—and, the Adult Education Content Standards Warehouse Website, an electronic repository of standards-related resources and reference materials.

Overview

The AECSW Website is organized into four sections:

Standards–in–Action—Training materials designed to provide adult educators (at all levels) the support and encouragement they need to take their state standards off the shelf, and put them to use for students. The innovations address four priority areas of standards-based reform: 1) understanding the standards taught; 2) translating the standards into curriculum; 3) aligning student assignments to standards; and 4) observing Standards-in-Action.

Find Standards—Downloadable files of adult education content standards for English language acquisition, reading, and mathematics. About the Standards is also included. This is a set of separate files that provide an overview of each set of standards and links to the developers' Websites.

A Process Guide for Establishing Adult Education Content Standards—Outlines essential components and processes for moving a State toward standards-based education. Readers will find detailed information and materials to assist State teams in making decisions related to the adoption, development and implementation of standards. The Guide also includes suggestions from adult educators and researchers, as well as a range of samples, tools, templates, and references.

Field Resources—National and international standards that are not included on the Find Standards page, as well as the professional development materials created for the State Standards Consortia, 2004-2005.